1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a name changing method, an information processing apparatus and a network system for changing a device identification name of an information processing apparatus to which the device identification name is added for identification by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, digitalization of information is being rapidly developed, and information devices for handling digital information have become rapidly widespread in homes. For example, music players for playing back music data recorded in compact disks, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) players for playing back movies recorded in DVDs, and the like, are widespread around the world. Further, photographs taken by digital cameras and TV programs digitally recorded are stored in a personal computer and the like and managed in homes. However, accumulated images, videos, music information or the like are not particularly effectively utilized other than being personally viewed and enjoyed. The reason being, for example, when a family wants to view video images captured by a digital video camera, they may have to go through complicated procedures of connecting devices to display the video images stored and managed in a hard disk of a personal computer on a large TV in the living room.
In view of the above, there has been a movement to lay down a standard for information technology for realizing sharing of digital information using wireless or wired communication in homes (so-called home network). For example, companies and the like manufacturing and selling home electronics, cellular phones, personal computers and the like have established a nonprofit organization called DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). A home network envisioned by the DLNA is configured by including a server device in which contents such as video and music are stored (DMS; Digital Media Server) and a player device for playing back these contents (DMP; Digital Media Player), and the contents are distributed from the DMS to the DMP based on predetermined transmission system and format, and are played back.
As such, connection environment between devices installed in a home network is being improved. However, with the increase in the number of devices installed in a home network, it is becoming burdensome for users to select a desired content or select a device suitable for playing back of the content. At present, it is needed to either operate directly on a DMP or, by using the DMS and the like described above, select a desired content among the contents accumulated in the DMS and specify a DMP for playing back the content.
Here, an identification name unique to a device, such as a serial number or a device ID, used by a device to identify other devices and a device identification name for users called a friendlyName used by users to identify devices connected in a home network are added to the DMS and the DMP. friendlyNames are displayed on a GUI (Graphical User Interface), for example, and users can select a desired device from the friendlyNames being displayed.
Although it is not allowed to set the same name as an identification name unique to respective devices, it is possible to set the same name as device identification names for users. The device identification name for users is normally set at the time of factory shipment, and generally, the same name is set for devices of a model.